BRAZIL: Rio de Janeiro kicks off Christmas season with traditional lighting of world's largest floating Christmas tree

Thousands of Brazilians poured out on Saturday (November 26) to witness what has become a holiday tradition in Rio de Janeiro - the lighting of a massive floating Christmas tree. This is the tenth year that the tree has been set afloat in Rio's Laguna Rodrigo de Freitas. For the first time in its history, the tree was decorated in millions of coloured lights forming shapes of candles and other traditional Christmas decorations. "The fireworks are great - the children love them. It is very exciting - all the residents of Rio are here as well as people from out of town," said Rio resident Sandro Barbosa. The tree has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest floating Christmas tree in the world. This year, it holds 2.8 million lights and 35-thousand metres of garland. It is eighty-two metres tall and weighs 450 tonnes. The holiday kick-off celebration was capped off by a spectacular fireworks display.

ITN Source | December 2, 2005

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